And the winner is: New Zealand!!! The All Blacks deserve it AGAIN! Congratulations from a German Girl, who don’t really understands the rules of this game! Althrough my mentor Chris really tried to explain me rugby while we where working in the kitchen of the best restaurant on Stewart Island! Miss those days tonight.

Answers to frequently asked questions:

– no, I would say you don’t need an organization (unless you are really really really shy)

– no, nobody checked my bank account balance at the airport, but you should have about 2500 Euros on your account anyway for the first few weeks

– yes, you need a print copy of your e-visa

– yes, it’s quiet easy to open up a bank account in New Zealand (I was a client with ASB)

– yes, it’s very easy to apply for a social security number (just go to one of the post shops with your passport and use your hostel address as a first address) / it takes about two weeks, but you don’t really need to wait for the letter / just start traveling and call the office later on)

– yes, you need a travel insurance (I used the ERV Europaeische Reiseversicherung)

A year ago (can you believe it?) I catched a plane and flew to Auckland / New Zealand like so many Backpackers do these days! The world became much smaller for me, since I made this experience and jet New Zealand it quiet far away for me today. This morning I woke up and it was snowing in Cassel and I was wondering what that means…after three summers in a row it’s gonna be a very cold winter for me here in Germany for sure! Life was easy and peaseful at the other side of the world. Here my head is full of news about the neverending European Crisis, military conflicts in the Far East and the waves of refugees that Germany experiences right now. I feel overwhelmed sometimes, although I am just reading and trying to keep up-to-date. Applying for work is also difficult and grueling and often I wish to take it all a little easier – just like the KIWIS. NO WORRIES…that’s what they would say. I miss blogging too, so I will try to convert this Blog from a New Zealand Travel Blog to a more general Travel Blog or start a new one. I will let you know. Already have some stories about the cities Cologne, Gießen and Cassel in the holding stack.

Cheers and please share your stories and thoughts from the road with me!

It’s August and I know, that a lot of people out there start to organize there own New Zealand adventure. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions from a backpacker girl, who did it all last year. Save travels and have fun!!!

FAQs:

– no, I would say you don’t need an organization (unless you are really really really shy)

– no, nobody checked my bank account balance at the airport, but you should have about 2500 Euros on your account anyway for the first few weeks

– yes, you need a print copy of your e-visa

– yes, it’s quiet easy to open up a bank account in New Zealand (I was a client with ASB)

– yes, it’s very easy to apply for a social security number (just go to one of the post shops with your passport and use your hostel address as a first address) / it takes about two weeks, but you don’t really need to wait for the letter / just start traveling and call the office after

– yes, you need a valid travel insurance (I used the ERV Europaeische Reiseversicherung – they have a special option for Aupair and Work & Travel and you don’t have to be a student, which is a big plus)

Thank you so much New Zealand! I traveled arround here for seven mounth and it was a thrilling experience. Your people change me and your landscapes are overwhelming. Every single day was a special day! I am flying back home, but i will miss you and daydream about your forests, beaches and mountains.

What can I say: after six month in NZ I am totally fascinated by the beautiful (film set) landscapes and I was no longer able to resist the wish to finally see the hobbit holes and the party tree. I even I brought the Lord of the Rings location guide book a while ago and I really enjoy it. Smile. The Hobbiton Movie Set is located on a farm close to Matamata and hidden in green hills. One has to book a guided tour to visit the area, but it is worse the money. The area is bigger than I thought and really lovely. They have gardeners to make sure that the movie set just looks like Peter Jackson is shooting here tomorrow and the hundreds of prop details are amazing. I had a picture perfect sunny afternoon to wonder around in this small Hobbiton world. I only wish that the tour guide girl would have been a little less stressed out. I mean, I know that we all just come to make these o so important hobbit hole pictures, but that does not mean, that I do not enjoy the stories behind it all. In fact I loved them and I will share a story here. Imagine that volunteer students helped to transform natural apple trees into plum trees by picking every single natural leave and fruit and decorate the apple tress with plastic plum tree leaves and fruits. Unbelievable, isn’t it!?